Scottish Executive

Aggregates

Robin Harper (Lothians) (Green): To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it intends to take to ensure that aggregates levy funding to environmental projects, in particular to geodiversity audits, is in line with the funding available to such projects in England and Wales.

Ross Finnie: Half of the aggregates levy funding in Scotland during 2002-03 and 2003-04 was allocated to the Community Environmental Renewal Scheme (CERS), supporting a range of environmental projects.

  The scheme’s design reflected Scottish concerns and priorities. Communities affected by aggregates extraction could put forward projects which addressed the environmental effects of past or present aggregates extraction, involved the local community and demonstrated social and/or economic benefit to it. For 2003-04, four themes were additionally identified in the Scheme’s guidance to illustrate the types of project which might be supported (landscape and community recreation, habitat restoration and local biodiversity, restoration and protection of historic environment, and pollution mitigation).

  The funding allocated to individual projects reflected their merits judged against the scheme’s criteria. Geodiversity was not an express theme for 2002-04 but a number of projects included substantial elements of geological interpretation, including those undertaken by the Scottish Slate Islands Heritage Trust, Solway Heritage, Highland Council and Castletown Heritage Society, Hagdale Quarry, Bu Sands Archaeological Archive and Timespan Geology Garden. More information on these is available on the Internet at www.sustainable.scotland.gov.uk and www.forward-scotland.org.uk (for 2002-03 and 2003-04 projects respectively).

  As I announced in the answer to question S2O-2195 on 29 April 2004, the Executive has decided to extend the Community Environmental Renewal Scheme for a further three years. Geological work will be added as an explicit theme which projects might address. Applications for funding will be invited shortly.

  The answer to S2O-2195 is available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/sch/search.

Birds

Ms Sandra White (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive when it will publish guidance regarding attacks by seagulls in urban areas, following the Public Petitions Committee meeting of 7 January 2004 where it was indicated that such guidance was forthcoming in the near future.

Allan Wilson: It is hoped to let a contract for the research "Review of Urban Gulls and their Management in Scotland" by the end of May. Work is likely to begin in June and should be completed by early 2005. I expect the report will lead to new guidance on best practice to local authorities.

Blind and Partially-Sighted People

Christine Grahame (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what steps will be taken to address any under-reporting of partial sight, in light of the statement that such under-reporting "has led to very misleading registration figures and the erroneous assumption amongst planners of care services that sight loss is a low-incidence disability" in the report by the Royal National Institute of the Blind, Unseen: Neglect, isolation and household poverty amongst older people with sight loss .

Mr Tom McCabe: The Executive is currently undertaking a review of the certification and registration of visual impairment in Scotland with a view to improving the registration process.

Blind and Partially-Sighted People

Christine Grahame (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, with reference to the report by the Royal National Institute of the Blind, Unseen: Neglect, isolation and household poverty amongst older people with sight loss , what steps will be taken to introduce guidance on early referral for people diagnosed with sight loss to ensure greater take-up of low vision assessment and availability of social care assessment at time of need.

Christine Grahame (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, with reference to the Royal National Institute of the Blind's report, Unseen: Neglect, isolation and household poverty amongst older people with sight loss , what steps will be taken to ensure that local authorities respond comprehensively to the needs of blind and partially-sighted people and that such action is taken in a consistent manner nationally.

Christine Grahame (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, with reference to the Royal National Institute of the Blind's report, Unseen: Neglect, isolation and household poverty amongst older people with sight loss , what targets have been set for eye health and community care services for people with sight loss and what date has been set for such targets to be met.

Mr Tom McCabe: The Executive has launched an Eye Care Review in order to improve services for blind and partially sighted people in Scotland and to promote better integration of services within the NHS, and between the NHS and other agencies. The review will examine the existing arrangements for the provision of eye care services and make recommendations for effective models of care.

  It has also begun work, with other bodies, on implementing the recommendations in the Sensory Impairment Action Plan to address the community care needs of people who are blind, deaf or deafblind. The action plan was written in consultation with the Royal National Institute of the Blind, The Scottish Council on Deafness and Deafblind Scotland.

Blind and Partially-Sighted People

Christine Grahame (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what steps will be taken to reduce the figure of 77% of blind or partially-sighted people who live alone and are in poverty, as referred to in the Royal National Institute of the Blind's report, Unseen: Neglect, isolation and household poverty amongst older people with sight loss .

Mr Tom McCabe: Although welfare benefits are a reserved matter, the Executive is committed to improving the services for blind and partially sighted people in Scotland and has recently launched its Eye Care Review which will promote better integration of services within the NHS, and between the NHS and other agencies.

  It has also begun working with other bodies on implementing the recommendations in the Sensory Impairment Action Plan which will address the community care needs of people who are blind, deaf or deafblind. The action plan was written in consultation with the Royal National Institute of the Blind, The Scottish Council on Deafness and Deafblind Scotland.

Blind and Partially-Sighted People

Christine Grahame (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, with reference to the Royal National Institute of the Blind's report, Unseen: Neglect, isolation and household poverty amongst older people with sight loss , what steps will be taken to ensure the safety and well-being of the 64% of blind or partially-sighted people who currently do not have daily visits from someone they trust.

Mr Tom McCabe: The Scottish Executive has recently worked with the Royal National Institute of the Blind (RNIB), Deafblind Scotland, the Scottish Council on Deafness and sensory impaired people to produce a Sensory Impairment Action Plan. This document contains a series of recommendations to improve access to community care services for sensory-impaired people and the Scottish Executive will be working in partnership with the RNIB, Deafblind Scotland and the Scottish Council on Deafness and other organisations to implement them.

  The needs of blind and visually impaired people are also being addressed through the Eye Care Review which is examining the existing arrangements for the provision of eye care services and will make recommendations for effective models of care.

Cancer

Richard Lochhead (North East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the average waiting time is for breast screening in the NHS this year and what it has been in each of the last three years.

Malcolm Chisholm: Routine breast screening is undertaken on an invitation basis. There is a national computerised call-recall system in place which ensures that eligible women, who are registered with a general practitioner and are in the age range 50 to 64 years are invited for breast screening every three years. The upper age range for routine invitation is being extended to 70 years on a phased basis across Scotland from spring 2003.

  The NHS Quality Improvement Scotland national overview report on breast screening which was published in November 2003 provides information about the Breast Screening Programme’s performance against the breast screening standards and covers matters related to every element, including waiting times where appropriate, of the screening process. A copy of the report is available in the Parliament Reference Centre (Bib. number 30088).

Climate Change

Roseanna Cunningham (Perth) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what progress has been made on the review of climate change research, as referred to in A Forward Strategy for Agriculture .

Ross Finnie: In conjunction with the UK Government and other devolved administrations, SEPA, the Scotland and Northern Ireland Forum for Environmental Research, the UK Climate Impacts Programme and other stakeholders, we are constantly reviewing the programme of climate change research that we commission. Arising from this process we have set in hand research on understanding the role of agricultural and other land uses on greenhouse gas emissions from Scotland’s soils and are also working with the UK Government to take forward a number of climate change adaptation research projects.

  The Executive carried out a review of its Agricultural and Biological Research Strategy in 2003, which involved extensive consultation with stakeholders. Climate change research needs will be reflected in the new research strategy for 2004-08, which will be published later this year.

Climate Change

Roseanna Cunningham (Perth) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how farmers are being involved in discussions on the likely impact of climate change, as referred to in A Forward Strategy for Agriculture .

Ross Finnie: The National Farmers Union for Scotland and the then, Scottish Landowners’ Federation were represented at a workshop held in October 2001 to discuss the findings of Scottish Executive research entitled Potential Adaptation Strategies for Climate Change in Scotland . Since this workshop, we have disseminated widely, including to representatives of Scottish farmers, the findings of a number of climate change research projects, including Climate Change Scenarios for the United Kingdom .

  In common with other sectors in Scotland, one of the threats to farmers is an increased risk of flooding and, in recognition of this, the Scottish Property and Business Association (formerly the Scottish Landowners Federation) was invited to sit on the Executive’s National Technical Advisory Group on Flooding Issues.

Climate Change

Roseanna Cunningham (Perth) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what progress has been made on the development of a climate change adaptation strategy, as referred to in the Scottish Climate Change Programme .

Ross Finnie: Adaptation policy development is informed by a number of Executive research studies and the latest UK climate change scenarios. The Executive is working closely with the UK Government and the UK Climate Impacts Programme to develop a comprehensive adaptation strategy to ensure that Scotland is prepared for the threats that are posed by climate change. Many of the strands of that strategy are now in place and we shall report further in our review of the Scottish Climate Change Programme later this year.

Dental Health

Susan Deacon (Edinburgh East and Musselburgh) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what progress has been made on the publication of the report on the consultation on Towards Better Oral Health in Children .

Malcolm Chisholm: I refer the member to the answer given to question S2W-5804 on 9 February 2004. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search .

Employment

Stewart Stevenson (Banff and Buchan) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what proportion of (a) male, (b) female and (c) full-time workers in (i) Scotland and (ii) each local authority area received hourly gross earnings, (1) including and (2) excluding overtime of below (A) £7.58, (B) £5.68 and (C) £4.20.

Mr Jim Wallace: The information you requested is not held centrally. However, information on earnings from the New Earnings Survey is published by the Office for National Statistics.

  The distribution of earnings is calculated on a weekly basis and the thresholds are the percentage who earned under £250, £350 and £460 per week. The information contained in the following tables is for full-time employees on adult rates whose pay period was not affected by absence. Data are not available for all local authority areas as the sample sizes are too small and the data are suppressed by the Office for National Statistics (ONS).

  The average gross weekly earnings and overtime pay is also included in the tables. Overtime pay is included in the distribution of earnings, but ONS do not publish similar figures that exclude overtime.

  Full-Time Employees on Adult Rates 2003

  

 
 Average 
  Gross Weekly Earnings
 Distribution of Weekly Earnings, 
  Percentage Who Earned Under:
 Average 
  Hourly
Earnings
(Excluding Overtime)
(Pence)


 Total
(£)
 Of 
  Which
Overtime Pay
(£)


 £250
 £350
 £460


 Scotland
 436.8
 19.8
 18.7
 45.1
 65.4
 1,101


 Aberdeen City
 524.7
 22.8
 14.2
 34.6
 52.8
 1,271


 Aberdeenshire
 422.2
 31.4
 18.6
 44.8
 65.2
 1,006


 Angus
 398.3
 26.8
 21.2
 56.4
 70.3
 983


 Argyll and Bute
 381.2
 23.0
 18.2
 49.6
 73.6
 929


 Clackmannanshire
 ..
 ..
 ..
 ..
 ..
 ..


 Dumfries and Galloway
 381.6
 18.6
 29.0
 55.7
 75.1
 949


 Dundee City
 436.8
 16.2
 19.2
 42.3
 64.4
 1,126


 East Ayrshire
 425.7
 23.1
 22.5
 43.1
 61.3
 1,067


 East Dunbartonshire
 ..
 ..
 ..
 ..
 ..
 ..


 East Lothian
 394.8
 17.3
 15.8
 48.5
 70.3
 1,014


 East Renfrewshire
 ..
 ..
 ..
 ..
 ..
 ..


 Edinburgh, City of
 467.0
 12.6
 16.3
 40.7
 60.8
 1,221


 Eilean Siar
 ..
 ..
 ..
 ..
 ..
 ..


 Falkirk
 412.9
 24.0
 20.4
 47.8
 69.0
 1,024


 Fife
 409.7
 21.8
 18.7
 49.2
 68.6
 1,022


 Glasgow City
 437.9
 17.9
 17.1
 45.5
 65.1
 1,127


 Highland
 419.6
 18.5
 22.3
 50.4
 70.8
 1,034


 Inverclyde
 379.7
 13.1
 19.1
 58.8
 77.1
 947


 Midlothian
 409.1
 15.0
 19.2
 40.4
 60.6
 1,051


 Moray
 ..
 ..
 ..
 ..
 ..
 ..


 North Ayrshire
 409.3
 17.5
 18.3
 45.0
 69.8
 1,044


 North Lanarkshire
 444.1
 27.8
 17.2
 44.7
 65.3
 1,098


 Orkney Islands
 ..
 ..
 ..
 ..
 ..
 ..


 Perth and Kinross
 405.5
 15.7
 22.0
 46.2
 70.8
 1,027


 Renfrewshire
 439.7
 20.1
 20.7
 42.9
 63.3
 1,116


 Scottish Borders
 355.6
 14.7
 28.4
 62.1
 78.7
 893


 Shetland Islands
 ..
 ..
 ..
 ..
 ..
 ..


 South Ayrshire
 442.5
 22.7
 15.6
 40.0
 58.5
 1,119


 South Lanarkshire
 421.8
 16.8
 20.1
 42.6
 68.0
 1,052


 Stirling
 429.8
 32.4
 18.3
 42.9
 65.1
 ..


 West Dunbartonshire
 ..
 ..
 ..
 ..
 ..
 ..


 West Lothian
 423
 29.8
 18
 46.1
 69.8
 1,024



  Full-Time Males on Adult Rates 2003

  

 
 Average 
  Gross Weekly Earnings
 Distribution of Weekly Earnings, 
  Percentage Who Earned Under:
 Average 
  Hourly
Earnings
(Excluding Overtime)
(Pence)


 Total
(£)
 Of 
  Which
Overtime Pay
(£)


 £250
 £350
 £460


 Scotland
 483.7
 28.7
 13.2
 37.2
 59.1
 1,176


 Aberdeen City
 591.4
 33.1
 11.2
 27.4
 43.6
 1,366


 Aberdeenshire
 479.3
 48.9
 9.0
 33.5
 56.9
 1,069


 Angus
 ..
 ..
 ..
 ..
 ..
 ..


 Argyll and Bute
 400.1
 32.5
 12.3
 42.5
 74.0
 916


 Clackmannanshire
 ..
 ..
 ..
 ..
 ..
 ..


 Dumfries and Galloway
 407.6
 30.0
 20.0
 47.2
 72.0
 ..


 Dundee City
 482.4
 24.5
 13.8
 34.7
 61.2
 1,210


 East Ayrshire
 ..
 ..
 ..
 ..
 ..
 ..


 East Dunbartonshire
 ..
 ..
 ..
 ..
 ..
 ..


 East Lothian
 ..
 ..
 ..
 ..
 ..
 ..


 East Renfrewshire
 ..
 ..
 ..
 ..
 ..
 ..


 Edinburgh, City of
 509.0
 16.4
 14.9
 34.3
 53.6
 1,310


 Eilean Siar
 ..
 ..
 ..
 ..
 ..
 ..


 Falkirk
 ..
 ..
 ..
 ..
 ..
 ..


 Fife
 455.7
 32.6
 10.6
 38.1
 63.0
 1,085


 Glasgow City
 489.1
 24.5
 13.8
 37.4
 56.7
 1,235


 Highland
 471.2
 27.8
 15.3
 45.5
 63.5
 ..


 Inverclyde
 ..
 ..
 ..
 ..
 ..
 ..


 Midlothian
 429.0
 23.4
 13.3
 35.0
 58.3
 ..


 Moray
 ..
 ..
 ..
 ..
 ..
 ..


 North Ayrshire
 ..
 ..
 ..
 ..
 ..
 ..


 North Lanarkshire
 ..
 ..
 ..
 ..
 ..
 ..


 Orkney Islands
 ..
 ..
 ..
 ..
 ..
 ..


 Perth and Kinross
 ..
 ..
 ..
 ..
 ..
 ..


 Renfrewshire
 476.2
 27.9
 15.1
 38.2
 59.8
 1,167


 Scottish Borders
 ..
 ..
 ..
 ..
 ..
 ..


 Shetland Islands
 ..
 ..
 ..
 ..
 ..
 ..


 South Ayrshire
 479.3
 32.2
 9.4
 29.9
 52.1
 ..


 South Lanarkshire
 479.8
 26.4
 11.3
 32.0
 58.3
 1,144


 Stirling
 ..
 ..
 ..
 ..
 ..
 ..


 West Dunbartonshire
 ..
 ..
 ..
 ..
 ..
 ..


 West Lothian
 459.7
 40.4
 10.1
 37.8
 64.9
 1,073



  Full-Time Females on Adult Rates 2003

  

 
 Average 
  Gross Weekly Earnings
 Distribution of Weekly Earnings, 
  Percentage Who Earned Under:
 Average 
  Hourly
Earnings
(Excluding Overtime)
(Pence)


 Total
(£)
 Of 
  Which
Overtime Pay
(£)


 £250
 £350
 £460


 Scotland
 372.4
 7.7
 26.1
 55.8
 74.0
 993


 Aberdeen City
 417.7
 6.2
 19.1
 46.2
 67.6
 1,108


 Aberdeenshire
 336.9
 5.2
 33.0
 61.6
 77.7
 903


 Angus
 344.1
 10.1
 29.5
 64.1
 78.2
 911


 Argyll and Bute
 ..
 ..
 ..
 ..
 ..
 ..


 Clackmannanshire
 ..
 ..
 ..
 ..
 ..
 ..


 Dumfries and Galloway
 ..
 ..
 ..
 ..
 ..
 ..


 Dundee City
 376.0
 5.2
 26.5
 52.4
 68.7
 1,011


 East Ayrshire
 ..
 ..
 ..
 ..
 ..
 ..


 East Dunbartonshire
 ..
 ..
 ..
 ..
 ..
 ..


 East Lothian
 ..
 ..
 ..
 ..
 ..
 ..


 East Renfrewshire
 ..
 ..
 ..
 ..
 ..
 ..


 Edinburgh, City of
 409.2
 7.4
 18.1
 49.5
 70.7
 1,097


 Eilean Siar
 ..
 ..
 ..
 ..
 ..
 ..


 Falkirk
 359.6
 6.4
 24.5
 63.6
 76.4
 958


 Fife
 345.7
 6.8
 30.0
 64.6
 76.3
 929


 Glasgow City
 374.7
 9.8
 21.2
 55.6
 75.5
 992


 Highland
 345.7
 5.1
 32.3
 57.4
 81.3
 906


 Inverclyde
 333.6
 9.8
 26.3
 66.7
 82.5
 ..


 Midlothian
 ..
 ..
 ..
 ..
 ..
 ..


 Moray
 ..
 ..
 ..
 ..
 ..
 ..


 North Ayrshire
 359.8
 13.0
 30.6
 52.8
 72.2
 ..


 North Lanarkshire
 376.6
 7.8
 26.6
 55.7
 70.4
 1,010


 Orkney Islands
 ..
 ..
 ..
 ..
 ..
 ..


 Perth and Kinross
 353.3
 6.1
 31.1
 57.3
 76.7
 935


 Renfrewshire
 381.6
 7.7
 29.6
 50.4
 68.8
 1,029


 Scottish Borders
 ..
 ..
 ..
 ..
 ..
 ..


 Shetland Islands
 ..
 ..
 ..
 ..
 ..
 ..


 South Ayrshire
 ..
 ..
 ..
 ..
 ..
 ..


 South Lanarkshire
 346.9
 4.4
 31.6
 56.3
 80.6
 924


 Stirling
 ..
 ..
 ..
 ..
 ..
 ..


 West Dunbartonshire
 ..
 ..
 ..
 ..
 ..
 ..


 West Lothian
 ..
 ..
 ..
 ..
 ..
 ..

Environment

Roseanna Cunningham (Perth) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what financial support it has given to (a) local authorities and (b) the Scottish Environment Protection Agency to meet capital costs of site investigation and any associated clean up of contaminated land in each year since 1997.

Allan Wilson: The capital allocations made available by the Executive to local authorities for work associated with implementation of the contaminated land regime that came into force in 2000 are shown in the table.

  

 Year
 Total 
  Allocations
(£ Million)


 2000-01
 1.5


 2001-02
 3.7


 2002-03
 4.5


 2003-04
 5.0


 2004-05
 5.0



  These resources are primarily intended to assist local authorities carry out activities such as site investigation and remediation where the owners of the land cannot be traced or cannot pay for the work or where the council owns the land. In addition, a further £3.9 million was issued to 15 local authorities in December 2002 for specific projects aimed at cleaning up derelict and contaminated land which was causing public health risks or blighting communities.

  The Scottish Environment Protection Agency has been given additional Grant-in-Aid to cover revenue expenditure incurred in operating the contaminated land regime.

Fisheries

Stewart Stevenson (Banff and Buchan) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what assessment it has made of the introduction of scallop conservation measures in terms of (a) their economic impact on scallop fishermen and (b) the practical and economic consequences of the measures for processing firms and supporting onshore industries and what steps it will take to offset any impacts.

Ross Finnie: The conservation measures which came into force in September 2003 were developed in detailed consultation with all sectors of the industry and a Regulatory Impact Assessment was produced as part of that process. The measures are due for review in 2005.

  The Seafish Industry Authority has been asked to prepare a project specification for a detailed study into the scallop industry, including the economic situation. The study will help inform the Scottish Scallop Advisory Committee develop a long-term strategy for the scallop sector, with the objective of achieving a sustainable fishery.

Fisheries

Stewart Stevenson (Banff and Buchan) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it is taking to address industry safety concerns that have emerged as a result of the introduction of scallop conservation measures.

Ross Finnie: Within the Scottish Scallop Advisory Committee the Executive is working closely with the industry in considering the introduction of new or amended conservation measures and the development of a long-term strategy for scallop management. Maintaining safety standards at sea is a high priority that will be considered very carefully as part of that process.

Fisheries

Stewart Stevenson (Banff and Buchan) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what effect scallop conservation measures have had on scallop stocks since their introduction.

Ross Finnie: The measures came into effect on 22 September 2003 and it is unrealistic to expect scientifically robust evidence of their effect on stocks to emerge in such a short period of time. Fisheries Research Services produce scallop stock assessment reports every two years and the next assessment report will be available early in 2005.

Fisheries

Stewart Stevenson (Banff and Buchan) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has any plans to review or refine the scallop conservation measures as introduced.

Ross Finnie: The Executive is developing a long-term strategy for scallop management in partnership with the scallop industry and the Fisheries Research Service will produce a scallop stock assessment report early in 2005. Both of these processes will enable us to review the impact of the existing conservation measures and consider whether any refinements are required.

Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002

Linda Fabiani (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what criteria it will use to determine which operators of PFI/PPP schools will be designated as public authorities under section 5 of the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002.

Linda Fabiani (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what criteria it will use to determine which operators of PFI/PPP prisons will be designated as public authorities under section 5 of the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002.

Linda Fabiani (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what criteria it will use to determine which operators of PFI/PPP hospitals will be designated as public authorities under section 5 of the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002.

Linda Fabiani (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what criteria it will use to determine which contractors under contracted-out road maintenance contracts will be designated as public authorities under section 5 of the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002.

Mr Tavish Scott: The Executive will carry out a public consultation by the end of October this year on the criteria that should be applied to designate Scottish public authorities under section 5 of the act.

Health

Susan Deacon (Edinburgh East and Musselburgh) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive when the external evaluation of the Starting Well health demonstration project will be available.

Malcolm Chisholm: I anticipate being able to let the project have the final report by the middle of June, at which time it will also be publicly available.

Income

Stewart Stevenson (Banff and Buchan) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what its estimate is for (a) 1979, (b) 1996-97 and (c) 2002-03 of the number of individual pensioners living in households with incomes below 60% of the median income after housing costs and, of these, how many were (i) men and (ii) women.

Ms Margaret Curran: The information requested in part (a) is not available.

  The table below presents the information requested in answer to parts (b), (c), (i) and (ii).

  Proportion and Number of Pensioners in Households Below 60% of the Median Income Threshold of the Relevant Year, Scotland (Relative Measure) – by Gender

  

 Year
 Male 
  Pensioners
 Female 
  Pensioners
 All 
  Pensioners


 %
 Number
(000s)
 %
 Number
(000s)
 %
 Number
(000s)


 1996-97
 24
 70
 32
 180
 29
 250


 2002-03
 20
 70
 21
 120
 21
 190

Income

Stewart Stevenson (Banff and Buchan) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the income thresholds for each decile of the household income distribution were in (a) 1997-98 and (b) the most recent available 12-month period.

Ms Margaret Curran: The following table presents results from the 2002-03 Family Resources Survey on the decile bands for households’ net income distribution for the total Scottish population (following an "equivalisation" adjustment to allow meaningful comparison between different household types).

  

 
 1997/98
(in 2002-03 prices)
 2002-03


 Decile 1
 up 
  to 109
 Up 
  to 126


 Decile 2
 109 
  to 135
 126 
  to165


 Decile 3
 135 
  to 169
 165 
  to 200


 Decile 4
 169 
  to 201
 200 
  to 242


 Decile 5
 201 
  to 239
 242 
  to 281


 Decile 6
 239 
  to 278
 281 
  to 324


 Decile 7
 278 
  to 328
 324 
  to 370


 Decile 8
 328 
  to 384
 370 
  to 438


 Decile 9
 384 
  to 491
 438 
  to 558


 Decile 10
 491+
 558+

Livestock

Eleanor Scott (Highlands and Islands) (Green): To ask the Scottish Executive how the withdrawal of livestock improvement schemes contributes to the plan for the eradication of scrapie from sheep flocks.

Allan Wilson: It is in the long-term interest of all Scottish farmers and crofters to eradicate scrapie from their sheep flocks. The Ram Purchase Scheme and the Shetland Ram Scheme will have contributed to the levels of scrapie resistance in flocks which used scrapie genotyped rams. However, it is too early to quantify the impact of this accurately. The scrapie resistant rams previously made available through the Ram Purchase Scheme are becoming increasingly available on the market.

  However, these schemes were not created or kept in existence for scrapie eradication purposes. The contribution they could make to scrapie eradication was an incidental benefit. We have ended the Ram Purchase Scheme because it was not effective and it did not deliver measurable improvement or value for money. We ended the Shetland Ram Scheme because the purpose for which it was created is no longer relevant.

Livestock

Eleanor Scott (Highlands and Islands) (Green): To ask the Scottish Executive how much money will be saved as a result of its withdrawal of livestock improvement schemes.

Allan Wilson: We did not close these schemes in order to save money, and there is no intention to cut the overall budget for crofting support.

Livestock

Eleanor Scott (Highlands and Islands) (Green): To ask the Scottish Executive whether its livestock improvement schemes were in breach of European State Aid rules and, if so, whether it sought a derogation.

Allan Wilson: There has never been a formal ruling as to the status of the Livestock Improvement Schemes under European Union state aid rules. However, concerns have been expressed by the Department of Environment Food and Rural Affairs (which is responsible for ensuring UK compliance with the Community Guidelines for State Aid in the Agricultural Sector) as to the extent to which the schemes are consistent with the guidelines. In particular, these guidelines prohibit the granting of an ongoing operating aid and limit the level of permissible support. On the basis of legal advice we share those concerns. It is also our understanding that derogations from the state aid guidelines are not available.

  The Executive has not sought a derogation and we have no plans to do so. However, we remain convinced of the importance of support for cattle improvement in the crofting counties and will be working closely with key interests over the next three months to work up a replacement for the Bull Hire Scheme which delivers this objective whilst taking account of state aid rules.

Local Government

Susan Deacon (Edinburgh East and Musselburgh) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what steps are being taken to encourage local authorities to require catering services to use more local produce.

Tavish Scott: The Executive is currently preparing guidance for all Scottish public purchasers and caterers which will detail the steps local authorities can take to use more local produce. This is scheduled to be issued at the end of May. This guidance will encourage the use of menus that include traditional Scottish dishes which require Scottish ingredients and also the use of produce that is fresh, seasonal and produced in accordance with recognised farm assurance standards. Ultimately though, local authority procurement decisions are a matter for the individual local authority concerned. It is also worth noting that EU law prohibits discrimination between suppliers on the grounds of locality or nationality.

NHS Waiting Times

Brian Adam (Aberdeen North) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the current average waiting times are for cardiac surgery for (a) NHS and (b) private patients in each NHS board.

Malcolm Chisholm: The median waiting times for NHS patients admitted from the inpatient and day case waiting list for cardiac surgery, by NHS board of residence, in the year ending 30 September 2003 are provided in the table. In addition, 178 cardiac surgery patients were treated as emergency admissions and had no wait. These patients are excluded from the calculations to derive the median waiting times in the table.

  The number of private patients treated in NHS hospitals is very small indeed and it is therefore not possible to provide median waiting times for them. Information is not held about the waiting times of private patients operated on in non-NHS hospitals.

  Reducing waiting times for treatment for heart disease is one of the Executive’s key priorities for NHSScotland. We have set a guarantee that no patient will wait more than 24 weeks for coronary artery bypass surgery or angioplasty and this has consistently been met across Scotland since December 2002. The guaranteed maximum wait reduces to 18 weeks from 30 June 2004.

  NHSScotland: Median Waiting Times for NHS Patients Admitted from the In-Patient and Day Case Waiting List for Cardiac Surgery1 by NHS Board Of Residence, Year Ending 30 September 2003p

  

 NHS Board of Residence
 Median 
  Waiting Times (Days)P


 Argyll and Clyde
 34


 Ayrshire and Arran
 34


 Borders
 *


 Dumfries and Galloway
 67


 Fife
 82


 Forth Valley
 35


 Grampian
 113


 Greater Glasgow
 27


 Highland
 101


 Lanarkshire
 48


 Lothian
 95


 Orkney
 *


 Shetland
 *


 Tayside
 96


 Western Isles
 *


 Scotland
 66



  PProvisional

  Notes:

  1. Cardiac Surgery is defined in terms of the Office of Population and Censuses and Survey, Classification of Surgical Operations and Procedures 4th revision (OPCS4), the codes used being "K25" – "K35" or "K40" – "K46" as main operations.

  *Information not shown due to small numbers

Planning

Ms Wendy Alexander (Paisley North) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether any research has been carried out on factors affecting land supply for housing in urban areas to inform the formulation of forthcoming plans for planning reform.

Ms Margaret Curran: The review of the Executive’s planning policy on housing, which led to the publication, in 2003, of Scottish Planning Policy (SPP) 3 : Planning for Housing , was informed by an advisory group consisting of representatives of local authorities, community councils, Homes for Scotland, Scottish Environment Link and the Royal Town Planning Institute. The review was also informed by research - Edinburgh College of Art / Heriot Watt University, School of Planning and Housing (2001): The Role of The Planning System in the Provision of Housing - commissioned by the Scottish Executive (Bib. number 11880).

  We will carefully consider the content and recommendations of the recently published report of the Barker Review of Housing Supply, and consider what implications it has for the planning system in Scotland.

Prison Service

Pauline McNeill (Glasgow Kelvin) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what action it now proposes to take in light of Lord Bonomy’s judgment in the Napier case.

Cathy Jamieson: Scotland has unacceptably high rates of imprisonment and reoffending. As part of our reform of the criminal justice system we are determined to reduce reoffending and invest to modernise the prison estate. This will reduce overcrowding and improve conditions in prisons.

  Our prison reforms have already resulted in real changes:

  We have improved the basic conditions in which we expect offenders to tackle offending behaviour.

  The Scottish Prison Service (SPS) has moved some long-term prisoners out of Barlinnie to reduce overcrowding.

  Accommodation for male Young Offenders has been consolidated in improved conditions at Polmont.

  For those who still have to slop out at Barlinnie and Polmont, we have provided more time and better facilities to do so.

  A new open prison unit for female offenders has been created at Cornton Vale.

  We have improved the prison regime and we are working to maintain these improvements at a time of record prisoner numbers, for example through:

  increased time out of cell at Barlinnie;

  improved medical care across the board, and

  improved and expanded drug treatment services.

  The SPS has delivered increased numbers of programmes and approved activities to address offending behaviour, prepare for release and reduce reoffending.

  Education provision has been improved and expanded across the board with the emphasis on literacy, numeracy and employability including acquiring recognised qualifications.

  We have invested to improve the fabric of the prison estate we inherited:

  This has allowed SPS to refurbish two halls at Barlinnie, including the provision of toilets and power in cells, with another hall due to reopen later this year.

  Conditions in parts of Low Moss have been improved by installing cubicles in some dormitory accommodation.

  Electric power has been installed in cells in Peterhead, Perth and Polmont.

  SPS has demolished very poor accommodation at Glenochil.

  The National Induction Centre for long-term prisoners based at Shotts has doubled in size.

  Also at Shotts, A Hall has been refurbished.

  We have embarked on a major programme to modernise the prison estate:

  The SPS has created about 500 modern places in two new houseblocks at Edinburgh and Polmont, investments totalling £35 million brought in on time and to budget.

  Work is under way on similar new houseblocks at Edinburgh and Glenochil, a total investment of £50 million.

  We are committed to securing 1,400 modern places in two new prisons.

  The SPS has acquired land for these two new prisons and has already secured planning permission for one of them.

  We are committed to comprehensive redevelopment of four key sites, effectively creating four new prisons at Edinburgh, Glenochil, Perth, Polmont.

  Through these investments, we are making real progress in ending slopping out:

  In 2000, there were 1,900 slopping out places,

  Now there are 700 fewer.

  By the end of this year, we plan to eliminate, a further 200.

  I am determined to carry through this reform programme so that Scotland has modern prisons where staff can work with prisoners to reduce reoffending. I am therefore announcing today a package of measures to accelerate our reforms to improve prison conditions and make more effective use of custody:

  We now plan to remove a further 550 slopping-out places by 2006.

  We will create 200 new places by using rapid-build units on existing sites where the land and infrastructure can best support the additional numbers.

  We will use electronic tagging to reduce the number of accused persons remanded in custody.

  We will enhance the arrangements for home leave for long-term prisoners at the end of their sentences to reintegrate them better into society.

  We shall seek early introduction of legislation to allow for home detention curfews under electronic monitoring for prisoners nearing the end of their sentences.

  These measures are consistent with our overall vision for the criminal justice service in Scotland which deals fairly and effectively with offenders and reduces reoffending by providing robust and effective penalties, including community sentences.

  I have also instructed the SPS to update its estates strategy to take account of our existing plans for creating new and fully modernised prisons, the impact of the measures I am announcing today and our wider reforms.

  Having examined Lord Bonomy’s judgement in Napier against this background, we believe there are grounds for appealing his conclusions. We shall therefore do so.

Public Private Partnerships

Linda Fabiani (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how the capital costs of the NHS have varied as a result of PPP/PFI projects.

Malcolm Chisholm: There is no evidence that PPP/PFI has had an impact on the capital costs of the NHS. PPP/PFI contributes substantially to capital investment in NHSScotland and is an additional  source of funding. There are currently 27 projects with a capital value of £864 million under development. PPP/PFI does not replace public funding which has seen substantial annual increases, rising from £136 million in 1996-97 to £420 million in 2005-06.

Radioactive Waste

Roseanna Cunningham (Perth) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive which landfill sites are (a) unlined and (b) permitted to receive low-level radioactive waste.

Ross Finnie: This information is not held centrally. The environmental regulation of landfill is a matter for the Scottish Environment Protection Agency.

Recycling

Roseanna Cunningham (Perth) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how much waste was collected for recycling by each local authority in (a) 2001-02 and (b) 2002-03 and what percentage increase on these figures is required to meet its target of 25% of waste collected for recycling by 2005-06.

Ross Finnie: Audit Scotland and the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) both produce reports on waste data. The reports can be accessed at the SEPA website, http://www.sepa.org.uk/publications/wds/index.htm and the Audit Scotland website, http://www.audit-scotland.gov.uk/publications/pubs2004.htm.

  The target for recycling and composting 25% of municipal solid waste by 2006 applies to Scotland as a whole, rather than individual local authorities. Audit Scotland figures show that in 2002-03 Scotland recycled 9.6% of such waste.

Scottish Executive Expenditure

Frances Curran (West of Scotland) (SSP): To ask the Scottish Executive how much has been spent on (a) public relations, (b) marketing, (c) market research and (d) opinion research by (i) Executive agencies, (ii) non-departmental public bodies, (iii) NHS boards and (iv) local authorities since the Executive's establishment.

Mr Andy Kerr: The information is not held centrally by the Scottish Executive and could only be provided at disproportionate cost.

Student Finance

Stewart Stevenson (Banff and Buchan) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what percentage of students from (a) lower, (b) middle and (c) upper income backgrounds (i) hold a part-time job during term-time, (ii) live with their parents during term-time and (iii) attend a university close to their home, and what changes there have been in these statistics since 1999.

Mr Jim Wallace: (i) Information for the percentage of students who hold a part-time job during term-time for the three income groups requested is not available.

  However, the proportion of all working age full-time students in higher and further education who were in part-time employment for the spring quarter in years 1999-2003 is shown in the following table.

  

 Year
 Proportion


 Mar-May 1999
 29%


 Mar-May 2000
 37%


 Mar-May 2001
 35%


 Mar-May 2002
 37%


 Mar-May 2003
 42%



  (ii) Information for the number of students who live with their parents during term time for the three income groups requested is not available.

  (iii) This information is not held centrally.

Student Finance

Stewart Stevenson (Banff and Buchan) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the average level of debt held after leaving university by students was from (a) a lower, (b) a middle and (c) an upper income background in 2002-03.

Mr Jim Wallace: Data from the Student Loans Company shows that the average student loan debt for Scottish domiciled borrowers entering repayment in April 2003 was £4,924. Disaggregated information is not available. Students may also have accumulated other debts whilst studying (e.g. from commercial banks) but we are unable to provide an estimate of this.

Teachers

Fiona Hyslop (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it is taking to encourage teacher recruitment and retention and which of these steps would encourage recruitment from outwith Scotland.

Peter Peacock: The successful implementation of the teachers’ agreement, A Teaching Profession for the 21st Century offers considerable incentives to attract people into teaching.

  In addition, we have earmarked £150,000 for this purpose and are currently devising a recruitment strategy.

  We also promote teaching at a range of careers events throughout Scotland and maintain a dedicated website www.teachinginscotland.com which is currently being up-dated.

  All these approaches will have a greater or lesser impact outside Scotland.

Water Industry

Fergus Ewing (Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what sum (a) has been spent on legal expenses and (b) is due in respect of legal expenses as yet uninvoiced by the Water Industry Commissioner and whether any of that sum has been in relation to employment tribunal cases raised against the commissioner.

Ross Finnie: The Water Industry Commissioner is entitled to seek such legal advice as he feels necessary in the discharge of his functions, including issues relating to the employment of his staff. His office informed me that it incurred total legal costs of £52,948 during the financial period 2003-04, covering all aspects of its work.

Water Industry

Fergus Ewing (Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether any form of legal action has been taken, or threatened, by the Water Industry Commissioner against Scottish Water and, if so, what any such legal action or threat of legal action was.

Ross Finnie: The powers of the Water Industry Commissioner are set out in the Water Industry (Scotland) Act 2002. The use of such powers is an operational matter for the Commissioner.

Water Industry

Fergus Ewing (Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether, in respect of its initial response to the Finance Committee's 2nd Report 2004 (Session 2) Report on Scottish Water (SP Paper 125), the current Water Industry Commissioner will be replaced when his current contract expires; on what date the contract expires, and whether there will be an open competition for any new commissioner.

Ross Finnie: The Executive’s intention is that the post holder of the Office of Water Industry Commissioner will assume the responsibility of chief executive upon the establishment of the new commission. The appointment of the chief executive and the commissioners of the new Water Industry Commission will take place entirely within the Public Appointment Framework as laid down by the Commissioner for Public Appointments.

  The terms of the Water Industry Commissioner’s appointment are contained within the Scottish public bodies directory on the Scottish Executive website.

Young Offenders

Ms Wendy Alexander (Paisley North) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive Whether it will provide a full record of support and funding for the Straight Out project that assists young offenders to find employment following their release.

Lewis Macdonald: The Straight Out project has received New Futures funding of £350,000 during Phase 2 (2002-05) from Scottish Enterprise (SEn). SEn is supporting projects in securing alternative funding. More detailed information on support and funding for individual projects is an operational matter for Scottish Enterprise.

Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body

MSPs' Staff

Donald Gorrie (Central Scotland) (LD): To ask the SPCB whether MSPs’ staff have an equal opportunity to apply, and be accepted, for training courses being offered to SPCB full-time, temporary and agency staff.

Duncan McNeil (on behalf of the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body): As employers in their own right, Members are responsible for the training and development of their staff. They do not therefore have equal access to training courses being offered to SPCB staff.

MSPs' Staff

Donald Gorrie (Central Scotland) (LD): To ask the SPCB what its policy is in respect of advising MSPs’ staff of training opportunities that are available to SPCB staff.

Duncan McNeil (on behalf of the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body): The SPCB does not advise MSPs’ staff of training opportunities that are available to SPCB staff unless there are spaces on a classroom based course which may be of relevance to MSP staff.

MSPs' Staff

Donald Gorrie (Central Scotland) (LD): To ask the SPCB whether it plans to conduct an equal opportunities survey or MSPs' staff similar to the survey of SPCB staff and what the reasons are for its position on this matter.

Duncan McNeil: (on behalf of the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body):

  The SPCB does not plan to conduct such a survey of MSPs' staff. The equal opportunities audit of SPCB staff was carried out to ensure that the SPCB was meeting its own obligations under equal opportunities legislation as an employer.

  In relation to employment of MSPs' staff, it is the relevant MSP who is the employer. The responsibilities and potential liabilities arising from legislation, including equal opportunities legislation, therefore rest with individual MSPs. Consultation with MSPs' staff on equality-related employment matters, and responding to the findings of such consultation, would therefore be matters for individual MSPs to take forward with their own staff.

  The SPCB has issued best practice advice to Members on their obligations as employers and service providers. Members are also free to seek advice on any equality related matter from either the Personnel Office or the Equalities Manager as appropriate.

  The training for SPCB staff is specifically designed with the training needs of the staff organisation in mind. Similarly, members, as the employer, are best placed to assess the training needs of their staff. Accordingly, the SPCB does not advise MSPs’ staff of training opportunities that are available to SPCB staff.